Hip horror sparks more GP surgery complaints

Rosemary Elliott-Sands from Wimblington ANL-150211-075537009

Published:17:00

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More patients have come forward claiming a March doctors’ surgery is failing in its duty of care.

Two patients of the Cornerstone Practice have spoken out about their own healthcare horrors this week, following news that a family have launched a legal fight against the surgery after it failed to diagnose a broken hip.

As reported in last week’s Citizen, Reginald Irvine, 78, was seen four times in nine weeks at the Elwyn Road surgery for pain in his right hip.

He was prescribed painkillers for a suspected nerve condition and advised to do more exercise, but just days after his last appointment he was rushed to hospital.

An X-ray revealed a broken hip and he underwent an emergency hip replacement operation the very next day.

Now other patients at the Cornerstone Practice have claimed doctors failed to diagnose their conditions, too.

Rosemary Elliott-Sands, 56, of Meadow Way, Wimblington, said an eight-week delay in diagnosing her dislocated neck has left her with paralysis of the shoulders.

She first went to the surgery suffering from pain in her neck, following a sharp jolt, in May.

She asked for an MRI scan at her first appointment, but was told she had most likely sprained it and was prescribed painkillers.

She was prescribed further painkillers at subsequent appointments, until an MRI scan was finally booked and carried out in July.

The scan revealed a rare dislocation of the vertabrae – which required surgery to correct.

“The delay in diagnosing the dislocation worsened the damage to my spinal cord and has left me living with further disability,” she said.

Dora Wright, 39, of Badgeney Road, March, went to the surgery in January last year with chest pains.

She was prescribed antacids for heartburn, and when they didn’t work she was told she had a chest infection.

Eight weeks later she collapsed in March town centre, but her heart condition still wasn’t picked up until she had a heart attack in the April.

Dora, who had to have a stent fitted at Papworth Hospital, said: “I was always told I was too young to have heart problems. I completely lost my faith in the practice.”

Practice manager Sarah Fox said: “While I cannot comment on individual cases due to patient confidentiality, I would urge any patients with concerns to contact the practice directly, so that we can respond through the appropriate channels.”